July School Holidays

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Out and About - Amazing Race

Come along to your local park with family and friends to tackle the Amazing Race these winter school holidays. See if you can solve the clues in order to find your way around the park as quickly as possible. It's fun for the whole family to get involved.

Cost: FREE

Photo: Auckland Council

Science Roadshow Holiday Experience at MOTAT

Come and explore the amazing 2015 Science Roadshow, with two great live shows and 60+ interactive exhibits. Plus get hands on in our Discovery Dome, where you’ll learn all about electricity. Kids as well as adults will enjoy getting hands-on with Ozobots, a brand new hi-tech robot toy and learning about static electricity in simple experiments.

While older kids aged 8 years plus, will love constructing their own take home circuits from simple materials in the Makey Makey activity.

Cost: Kids under 5 are FREE; Kids over 5 are $8; Adults $16, Family pass $40

Photo: MOTAT

Basil the Dinosaur's Auckland Field Guide

Events Centre, Auckland MuseumWednesday 8 July 2015: 1:00pm show

Basil the dinosaur, has been an Auckland resident for eight years, and in that time he's visited beaches, bush and māunga across the region. Come along and discover his favourite Auckland spots, and why he loves them so much.

Young photographers workshop

If you love taking photos of animals, nature or people but you are not sure how to use creative scene modes or how to compose photos, this is the workshop for you. This workshop is run by a Zoo photography tutor as well as an experienced Zoo guide who can share all the coolest stories about the animals and take the kids to meet one of our special animals up close.

Suitable for ages 10 to 14 years oldCost: $95 per person

Photo: Auckland Zoo

Aotea Square Ice Skating

The Penguin Kids Zone is the place to be for littlies learning how to skate, and it will be filled with snow! Kids and families can play and tumble in the snow, build snowmen or castles and make snow angels.

Knots are essential to every sailor, they are practical and also fun. Whether tying them to throw a lifeline, berthing a ship or just whiling away the time, there is a knot for every occasion. Learn a few knots and make your own Natty Navy Knotter.

Suitable for kids aged 4 years plus, each session last for 30 minutes.Cost: $3 per child.

Ice Skate Tour

The Ice Skate Tour travels around with a mobile ice rink in the Auckland Region. All events are open for general public so don’t worry if you or your kid(s) are not attending the school. Most events are in school halls but it’s an all weather activity.

Cost: Kids $7, Adults $13 includes skate hire

Rangi & Mau's Amazing Race

Rangi and Mau are stuck trying to start their Matariki homework assignment. With only one day left to complete it, and an unusual encounter with Genie Mata in the library they take on an Amazing Race to find out as much as they can about Matariki.

Photo: Matariki Festival 15

Over hundreds of years and kilometres throughout the Aotearoa Rangi and Mau learn the history of Matariki and its significance to Maori, the Pacific and the rest of the world.

Cost: Kids under 5 are FREE; Kids aged 5 to 12 years are $5; Adults $15

Gallipoli in Minecraft®

Explore the Gallipoli campaign in an exhibition featuring the interactive world of Minecraft®.

Cost: FREE for Aucklanders

Image: Auckland Museum

Taku Tāmaki - Auckland Stories

Special Exhibitions Hall, Auckland Museum, AucklandWednesday 8 July to Sunday 18 October 2015: 10:00am to 5:00pmwww.aucklandmuseum.com

See Auckland come to life through our incredible collections as you’ve never seen them. You’ll find cinema, cutting-edge digital experiences, an amazing artist’s commission and a whole raft of activities presented by real Aucklanders.

There will also be daily storytelling during the school holidays at 11:00am.

Captain for a Day

Follow the jack tar trail and uncover the greatest sea captains from New Zealand's rich maritime history. Gather round to hear the tall tales and create your very own Captain's hat and seaworthy vessel. Along the way, you'll meet Captain Eisenhorn. He’s a well travelled commander who has plenty of tales to tell about the masters he has met in his time.

Suitable for kids aged 5 to 12 yearsDuration: 20 minutesCost: $5

Robin Hood

Dame Nursie and Red Riding Hood, Robin's sister, recruit the Merry Men to retrieve the magic arrow and free King Richard - who languishes in the evil Sheriff's dungeons. The Sheriff's henchmen, together with the witch and a big bad wolf try to thwart them, but good defeats evil in the end.

Cost: Kids $10, Adults $15

All about Elephants

Auckland Zoo, Motions Road, Western SpringsWednesday 8 to Sunday 19 July 2015: 9:30am to 5:00pmwww.aucklandzoo.co.nzTake part in the 'All about elephants' trail. On this fun interactive adventure through the Zoo, kids can discover all sorts of amazing facts about elephants, and complete the trail to earn their elephant stamp!

Cost: Kids under 4 are FREE, Kids 4 to 14 are $12; Adults $28,

Hokia Ki Nga Maunga - Return to the Mountains

The enchanting story of a young boy named Rima who needs the help of the Maori god of the winds, Tawhirimatea, his friends from the forest, and the audience to help save his village. Performed in Maori and English, this is a fun filled way for children to learn to use Te Reo in their everyday lives.

Age suitability: 5 to 10 years oldCost: $12 per ticket

Image: Auckland Live

Astro-Adventure School Holiday Fun at Stardome

Blast off into space these school holidays with two planetarium shows and rocket-themed craft activities. See Accidental Astronauts for kids aged up to six years and Astronaut for the older kids. After the show, help fill the space room with stars to create the very first Stardome galaxy and create your very own rocket to take home. Bookings essential.Accidental Astronaut is screening at 10am, and Astronaut is screening at noon and 2pm

Cost: Kids $12; Adults $10

Grandma McGarvey with Grandpa’s Slippers

A celebration of grandparents with two favourite New Zealand stories coming to life on stage in the one show. Grandma thinks Grandpa’s old and tatty slippers should be thrown out. But Grandpa has other ideas.Staged with Grandma McGarvey who is the quirky and fun-filled grandmother who leads an adventurous and wacky life.

Special Exhibitions Hall, Auckland MuseumWednesday 8 July to Friday 10 July 2015: 11:00am to 3:00pmwww.aucklandmuseum.com

Local folk musicians, artists, writers and poets Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard share their talents, and the sound of some unusual musical instruments, with visitors in The Studio.

Come along and meet Mark, the author ofRufus and the Rain, a firm favourite in Auckland schools, and create illustrations for an upcoming Rufus adventure! There will be readings of the book at 12 and 2pm.

Cost: FREE for Aucklanders

Spy Tower - Sky Tower School Holidays

Spy Tower needs all agents on the case as the Blue Diamond has been stolen - the mission includes multiple interactive stages including a laser maze 165m above ground level and New Zealand’s highest game of I-Spy! All successful spies will also receive a special Spy pen with invisible ink. Plus there is also a fun Spy–themed photo station to take your family pictures in.Cost: Under 6 year olds are FREE; Kids $11; Adults $28 (includes one Spy pen per child)

Image: Sky Tower

Dexter's Deep Sea Discovery

TAPAC, Western Springs, AucklandWednesday 8 July to Saturday 11 July 2015www.tapac.org.nz

Enjoy non-stop, Hilarious Pantomime fun for the whole family these July school holidays!

Dino Days at Dinosaur Kingdom

There will be activities for all ages from 10:00am to 2:00pm in the Boneyard room including: mask making, colouring competition from 10am to 2pm each weekday (found in the Boneyard room in Dinosaur Kingdom). There will also be a scavenger hunt available all day.

Beauty and the Beast

Shore City Free School Holidays Fun

Shore City, TakapunaWednesday 8 July 2015: Parties at 10:00am or 10:30am or 11:00am or 11:30am or Noon or 1:00pm or 1:30pmwww.shore-city.co.nz

Choose from the following parties:Under 5's safari animal maskwhere you help your under 5 make a paper-plate animal maskSafari Cupcakes for ages 5 to 12 years old. Icing and decorating a cupcake with animal-shape sweets.